day trip from Mullingar to Dublin

[168lover]

Hi all, currently in Ireland. From tommorow till a week on Sunday I'll be with my grandparents in Mullingar. On one of the days I am there I am looking to go to Dublin by train. What I want to know is there an equivalent to the London travelcard available in Dublin? Also what's the cheapest way of getting the train from Mullingar to Dublin and back?

Thanks in advance

 

[Flying Snail]

Hi all, currently in Ireland. From tommorow till a week on Sunday I'll be with my grandparents in Mullingar. On one of the days I am there I am looking to go to Dublin by train. What I want to know is there an equivalent to the London travelcard available in Dublin? Also what's the cheapest way of getting the train from Mullingar to Dublin and back?

Thanks in advance

The Leap smartcard is the best option these days, a day cap for the Dublin area is €9.20 rail only, or €10 rail+tram+bus.

https://about.leapcard.ie/fare-capping

The card costs €5 refundable deposit but getting a refund is a PITA, you need to register it and apply on-line then get the refund transferred to a bank account.

There is also a Visitor Leap Card. This is €10 for 1 day, €19.50 for 3 days or €40 for 7 days. You have to choose to pre-load one of these amounts to the card and the period starts from it's first use.

You can add extra periods later if needed.

This has the same validity as regular card except it is also valid on the 747 and 757 City-Airport express bus routes.

https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card

This regular cards can be purchased at most rail stations and a network of "payzone" outlets through the city but the visitor card can only be bought at a few locations in Dublin Airport and City centre, no rail stations unfortunately.

According to this http://www.payzone.ie/paywithpayzone.jsp?pt=74 (put in Westmeath, Mullingar)
there is one payzone shop in Mullingar that sells leap cards, the rail station won't because it is not valid on rail services from Mullingar but is on Bus Eireann bus services.

Mullingar-Dublin is €21 day return and there are no cheaper online fares. If you wished to get a regular Leap you could go as far as Maynooth and buy one at the station there to continue on the next local train, the Mullingar-Maynooth day return is €18.90

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/14_m3_parkway_maynooth_longford.pdf

A Dublin return and Visitor Leap would still be better value.

There is also a bus service Mullingar-Dublin, return fare is €18.50. It is useful for an earlier first service on weekends and later last services every day.

http://www.buseireann.ie/timetables/1469114997-115.pdf

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I'd also recommend taking a book - Mullingar to Maynooth has all the scenic interest of the Waterloo & City line.

 

[berneyarms]

I'd also recommend taking a book - Mullingar to Maynooth has all the scenic interest of the Waterloo & City line.

That's rather harsh - it's a lovely run alongside the Royal Canal.

Hi all, currently in Ireland. From tommorow till a week on Sunday I'll be with my grandparents in Mullingar. On one of the days I am there I am looking to go to Dublin by train. What I want to know is there an equivalent to the London travelcard available in Dublin? Also what's the cheapest way of getting the train from Mullingar to Dublin and back?

Thanks in advance

I'd second the advice above - buy a normal day return at Mullingar to/from Dublin and get 1 day visitor LEAP card for travelling around Dublin1.

As per https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card you can get it either at the Dublin Bus office at 59 Upper O'Connell Street or the Discover Ireland Centre at 14 Upper O'Connell Street - both of which are only rougly a 10 minute walk from Connolly Station near the GPO.

As above the day return train fare is €21, but if you get the train at 10:47 or later it drops to €19.15 (off-peak day return).

Full Sligo line timetable is here:
http://www.irishrail.ie/media/07_dublin-sligo_25052015.pdf

Fares are here:
http://www.irishrail.ie/fares-and-tickets/dublin-sligo

Bus Eireann have three services between Mullingar & Dublin:

Route 115 - Local slow stopping service
http://www.buseireann.ie/timetables/1469114997-115.pdf

Routes 22 & 23 - Expressway (certain departures only):
http://www.buseireann.ie/timetables/1425312720-Mullingar.pdf

A Bus Eireann single/day return ticket is valid on any of the above.